Bounce back win for K-State–With Audio
Manhattan, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–It was an improvement from game one to game two for the Kansas State Wildcats Saturday night at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, as K-State bounces back from a disappointing loss eight days ago to defeat the Louisiana Rajin’ Cajuns 48-27 in front of 53, 073 fans, which was the fourth-largest crowd in stadium history.
The Wildcats were able to score in all three phases: offense, defense and special teams. Kansas State led 10-3 after the first quarter, thanks to a Jack Cantele 29-yard field goal with 9:17 left in the quarter, and a John Hubert seven-yard scamper in the final minute of the period. Their lead over Louisiana extended to 20-3 at the break, after quarterback Daniel Sams scored on a 13-yard draw at the 11:20 mark of the second period, and another Cantele field goal, this one from 27 yards away.
Tramaine Thompson helped extend K-State’s streak of nine consecutive years, with a 94-yard kickoff return to paydirt to begin the second half, which leads the nation. Four minutes later, quarterback Jake Waters helped extend the lead for the Wildcats to 34-3 with a one-yard plunge. Louisiana would make a comeback by scoring back-to-back touchdowns. It started with the ensuing kickoff on a Darryl Surgent 100-yard return, and a four-yard run by quarterback Terrance Broadway to make it 34-17 with 8:07 left in the third. Less than a minute later, Kansas State saw senior safety Ty Zimmerman record his first-career touchdown with a 32-yard pick-six. The Rajin’ Cajuns added the next 10 points of the game to pull to within 41-27 with 10:55 remaining. K-State closed out the scoring at the 8:02 mark of the fourth quarter with a tw0-yard run by John Hubert, his second rushing score of the night, and the final was 48-27.
K-State used a two-quarterback system throughout the game, rotating Jake Waters and Daniel Sams, and it seemed to work well for the Cats. Waters was 22-of-31, for 278 yards, and was picked off twice, one off a deflection. Sams threw for 27 yards on one pass. He was the Wildcats’ leading rusher with 63 yards on eight carries, while John Huber had 56 yards on 18 rushes. Tyler Locket caught eight balls for 11 yards. Kansas State outgained Louisiana 454-370, and led the time of possession 32:20-27:40.
Kansas State improves to 1-1 on the year, and will host the UMass Minutemen Saturday for a 6 pm kickoff, a game you can hear beginning with a 4 pm pregame show on Mix 94. Massachusetts is 0-2 on the season, after a 24-14 setback to FCS opponent Maine on Saturday. The Minutemen are in their second year as a FBS member.
Louisiana drops to 0-2, with losses to BCS schools in Arkansas and Kansas State. They will host Nicholls State Saturday night.
Quarterback Jake Waters, Quarterback Daniel Sams, Wide Receiver Aaron Lockett, Wide Receiver Tramaine Thompson, Wide Receiver Curry Sexton, Center BJ Finney, Defensive End Ryan Mueller, Safety Ty Zimmerman
